Central Dauphin High School

History

The school, built in 1955, replaced the former Lower Paxton High School. The school was named Central Dauphin High School, for the school district. Central Dauphin School District was created in 1957, and this merger of several school districts was completed by the opening of Central Dauphin High School.

Between 1955 and 1972, renovations and additions were added to the school, including the science wing, a planetarium, and a new cafeteria. In 2003, the planetarium was named for the school's highly inspirational and influential teacher Dennis Phillippy, however was demolished in 2007.

In the late 1990s, overcrowding in the Central Dauphin School District resulted in a proposal to merge Central Dauphin High School with nearby rival Central Dauphin East High School. The proposal was opposed by Central Dauphin High School and was later voted down by the school board (after its removal in the election the week before). In 2000, the school board voted to build a third high school, but in a sudden turnaround by the school board, it was decided that the district would have only two high schools. A new facility was to be built, and it would be named Central Dauphin High School.

In the 2004-05 school year, the high school moved from its Locust Lane, Lower Paxton Township location to its current Piketown Road, West Hanover Township location. The old building was renovated, and it is now being used as Central Dauphin Middle School. In 2004, former President George W. Bush visited the school, making a speech in the auditorium. Since 1955, the yearbook has been called the Centralian. The school newspaper is called the Rampage.

Central Dauphin High School is one of the largest public high schools in south-central Pennsylvania and holds graduation ceremonies at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Graduation rate

Academic achievement

Central Dauphin High School achieved 69.9 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement.The PDE reported that 75.9% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 79% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 62% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.

Central Dauphin High School achieved 81.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 84% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 81.6% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 52% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.

Central Dauphin Senior High School achieved 83.5 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 80.75% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 75% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 55.67% showed on grade level science understanding. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, they now take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP History

In 2012, Central Dauphin Senior High School remained in Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, due to achieving just 7 out of 14 academic metrics. This was the final year that the PDE reported AYP status for high schools having gotten an exemption from the Obama Administration. Central Dauphin Senior High School achieved AYP status in 2011 and in 2010.

PSSA Results history

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.

11th Grade Science:

Science in Motion Central Dauphin High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate. Gettysburg College provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 37% of Central Dauphin School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Dual enrollment

Central Dauphin High School offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $15,027 for the program. In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students.

Graduation requirements

The Central Dauphin School Board has determined that a high school student must earn 24 credits in order to graduate, including: English 4 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health 0.5 credit, Arts and Humanities 1 credit, Graduation project 0.5 credit and 6 elective credits.

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2018-19, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.

Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

SAT Scores

In 2014, 297 Central Dauphin High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 511. The Math average score was 543. The Writing average score was 495. Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing.

In 2013, 354 Central Dauphin High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 506. The Math average score was 530. The Writing average score was 493. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.

In 2012, 321 Central Dauphin High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 508. The Math average score was 531. The Writing average score was 487. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

In 2011, 356 Central Dauphin High School students took the SAT exams. The school's Verbal Average Score was 515. The Math average score was 549. The Writing average score was 499. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.

AP Courses

In 2014, Central Dauphin High School offered 18 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. Students pay the fee for each exam. The fee for each AP Exam is $91 (2014). The school normally retains $9 of that fee as a rebate to help with administrative costs. In 2012, the fee was $89 per test per pupil. Students have the option of taking College Board approved courses and then taking the College Board's examination in the Spring. Students, who achieve a 3 or better on the exam, may be awarded college credits at US universities and colleges. Each higher education institution sets its own standards about what level of credits are awarded to a student based on their AP exam score. Most higher education give credits for scores of 4 or 5. Some schools also give credits for scores of 3. High schools give credits towards graduation to students who take the school's AP class. At Central Dauphin High School just 55% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

In 2013, Central Dauphin High School offered 19 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. At Central Dauphin High School 51.70% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam. In 2013, the fee for the exams was $89 each. In 2015, Central Dauphin High School offered 16 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. At Central Dauphin High School 59.55% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam. In 2013, the fee for the exams was $92 each exam.

School safety and bullying

The Central Dauphin High School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2014. Additionally, there were four incidents of harassments and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in forty-one incidents at the school with 13 arrests. Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.

The School's administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2013. Additionally, there were seven assaults on students, three incidents of harassments and one sexual incident involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in sixty-four incidents at the school with 12 arrests.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act established the Unsafe School Choice Option. Each state that receives federal funds was mandated to establish a statewide policy requiring that a student at a “persistently dangerous” public school be allowed to transfer/enroll in a safe public school. The policy permitted a student who becomes the victim of a violent criminal offense, while in or on the grounds of any public school that he or she attends, to transfer to a safe public school. Each year since 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has released a list of Persistently Dangerous Schools. Central Dauphin School District schools have not been on the lists.

Central Dauphin School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the District must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

Education standards relating to student safety and anti harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Wellness policy

Central Dauphin School Board established a district-wide Student Wellness policy in 2006. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 – 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006." Most districts identified the superintendent and school foodservice director as responsible for ensuring local wellness policy implementation.

The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Central Dauphin High School offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. All students attending the school can eat breakfast and lunch. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are provided a breakfast and lunch at no cost to the family. Children from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast. A foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household is eligible for both a free breakfast and a free lunch. Runaway, homeless and Migrant Youth are also automatically eligible for free meals. The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.

In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandates that Districts raise their full pay lunch prices every year until the price of non-subsidized lunches equals the amount the federal government reimburses schools for free meals. That subsidy in 2013-2014 was $2.93.

In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day. The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.

Central Dauphin School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance. Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

Extracurriculars

Central Dauphin High School offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program which duplicates the sports offered at Central Dauphin East High School. Efforts to consolidate some sports between the two district high schools have been resisted by parents. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policy. The school sports are also governed by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association rules.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.

According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Athletics

Central Dauphin High School has many varsity and junior varsity teams. The Wrestling team has won four straight team championships from 2007-2011 seasons in AAA. The Boys' Volleyball team won the AAA state championship in 2009. Football has won their first AAAA team state championship as of 2011. Girls' soccer won their first AAA title in 2007 followed by a second in 2008.

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid. According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.

The District funds:

Music Program

Central Dauphin's music program consists of five bands, five choirs, and two orchestras. Bands include a symphonic, wind, two jazz bands, and a marching band. The choirs include an all-boys choir, three all-girls choirs, and a mixed ensemble, as well as a newly added Jazz Choir. The two orchestras are symphonic and string. Each part of the music department holds several concerts throughout the school year, including the annual spring musical, and seasonal concerts held in the auditorium.

Current clubs

Central Dauphin offers a number of clubs. Students can create new clubs with the principal's approval.

Notable alumni